


Forty-Seven Minutes

by rockmusicplays



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AUish, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Jay isn't a dick in this version because Caitlin deserves nice things, M/M, Pre-Zoom reveal, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 15:39:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11603646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockmusicplays/pseuds/rockmusicplays
Summary: His father, for all of his numerous faults, had taught Len a few invaluable lessons. One of which had been to never steal anything with the intent to hold on to it, because that was just asking someone else to come along and steal it from you. Len had been holding on to something he knew he didn't deserve, and now Zoom had come and taken it from him.





	Forty-Seven Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> So... I don't really know what this is? It sat half-written on my hard drive for the better part of 2 years, and I stumbled across it earlier this evening and figured I might as well finish it.
> 
> I'm not totally sure where this fits in the canon storyline of either show, other than it happens well before we learn who Zoom is and, obviously, before Len sacrifices himself. So its safe to say this isn't entirely canon-compliant. But its kinda cute?

It was stupid for Len to still be here. There was nothing more for him to do tonight. Zoom was dead. Dr. Wells was in the basement with his daughter, monitoring the safeguards he and Cisco Ramon had put in place around the lone remaining breach. The latter was pacing incessantly around the cortex, moving between the med bay doors, the bank of computers where Iris West was sitting, and Len's sister. 

It had been forty-seven minutes since Len carried an unconscious Barry into STAR Labs and placed him in what he hoped were capable hands. Forty-five minutes since Dr. Snow's new speedster beau had ushered him out of the room and slid the doors shut behind him. Forty-two minutes since Lisa had pulled him aside and wiped Barry's blood from his neck and cheek. 

Lisa had planted herself directly across from the med bay, leaning against the wall with her arms folded, watching the flurry of activity behind the privacy screen with grim concern. Len knew he should be standing with her. Knew that if he was going to hang around while Snow and Garrick pieced The Flash back together, he should be acting a hell of a lot more like Captain Cold than he was at the moment.

He'd been trying. For six whole minutes, he'd stood shoulder to shoulder with his baby sister, aloof and detached. Only lingering because Ramon was upset, and Lisa had a soft spot for Flash's geeky sidekick. And if he seemed at all invested in Flash's condition? He was simply being a good nemesis. 

For six minutes he had himself convinced he didn't care. Then he realized his legs were shaking. 

Thirty-five minutes ago he picked a spot away from the room's other occupants and let himself slide awkwardly to the floor, mumbling some nonsense about time travel jet lag when Ramon asked him if he was alright. Lisa shot him a warning look, and Len made an attempt to look casual. One arm draped across a raised knee, other leg sticking straight out and nearly tripping Ramon up as he made his next pass around the cortex. Len smirked at him, feeling almost like himself for a moment.

Thirty-one minutes ago he realized he was sitting beside the alcove that housed Flash's suit. Len stopped caring about appearances after that. He kept playing those final, chaotic moments of the fight over and over again in his mind, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. Len had hit his mark, of that much he was certain. Done just enough damage with the cold gun, slowed Zoom just enough for Flash to get the upper hand. 

It should have been over. They'd had a plan. The device Dr. Wells designed worked perfectly. There was no reason Barry should have gotten hurt. He should have waited, let Len take another shot at Zoom. He shouldn't have gotten that close to Zoom until the last possible second.

For thirty-one minutes Len picked apart that last second again and again, but it was nothing but a blur of lightning. And Barry's screams. Then Zoom was gone, and Barry was…

The med bay doors swished open, and Dr. Snow stepped out, lab coat covered with blood. Len tasted bile in the back of his throat. 

"Caitlin is he…?" Len could hear the tears in Ramon's voice, and suddenly he couldn't breathe. This was all wrong. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. The hero wasn't supposed to die bloody. That wasn't Barry's fate. It couldn't be. Not after everything he'd been through. Everything _they_ had been through.

It was never going to be easy, no matter how it felt in their stolen moments. Len never cared much for easy. Easy was boring. And Barry was anything but boring. Barry was an ever evolving set of challenges. The ultimate heist. Len almost had himself convinced that it was the thrill of the chase that excited him. The rush of pulling off an impossible job. But the truth of it was, Barry was the score of a lifetime. The one and only thing Len had ever gone after just for himself. Not for bragging rights or profit, but for wholly selfish reasons. 

His father, for all of his numerous faults, had taught Len a few invaluable lessons. One of which had been to never steal anything with the intent to hold on to it, because that was just asking someone else to come along and steal it from you. Len had been holding on to something he knew he didn't deserve, and now Zoom had come and taken it from him.

"He's going to be in for a rough couple of days, but he'll be okay." 

Len's head snapped up so quickly that he cracked it against the wall behind him, but the pain barely registered. Barry was alive. The rush of relief that hit him left him light headed and dazed. He knew he needed to move, to stand, to say something, but his body wasn't cooperating. Not even the sight of Ramon with his arms around Lisa could get Len's feet under him.

Dr. Snow shrugged out of her ruined coat before throwing her arms around a sobbing West. They clung to each other for a long moment before West turned her attention to Ramon. Lisa took a step back, watching the pair of them with suspiciously wet eyes. Absolutely no one was paying any attention to the rogue on the floor a few feet away. That was fine by Len.

He had his hand on the door before Garrick spotted him.

"What are you doing?" he demanded. Len bristled at his tone. A half dozen sarcastic responses came to mind, but Len didn't trust his voice just yet. Throwing a glare over his shoulder at the speedless-speedster, Len let himself into the med bay and locked the doors behind him.

He could hear a chorus of raised voices on the other side of the glass. No doubt Team Flash could still get in without issue, but right now he didn't care. All that mattered was the battered body lying on the bed in front of him. 

"Dammit, kid," Len sighed. 

Barry looked worse now than he had when Len had scraped him off of the pavement. He was naked from the waist up, and any skin on his torso that wasn't wrapped in tape and gauze was an ugly mix of purple and black. 

His entire left side was a mess. His eye was swollen completely shut, the skin across his cheekbone split wide open and held together with a dozen or so butterfly bandages. His arm was in a brace from shoulder to wrist. There was a tube sticking out of his side roughly halfway down his ribcage. Under the thin blanket covering his lower half, his leg appeared to be elevated, and Len could see the outline of a second brace on his knee.

"Told you to stop calling me that." Barry's hoarse whisper was quite possibly the most beautiful sound Len had ever heard.

"You're awake." Len moved to the side of the bed, hands balled into tight fists to keep himself from touching the other man. Because he wanted to desperately. Needed to feel the warmth of Barry's skin beneath his fingers, tangible reassurance that he was still here with him. 

Barry's reply was something between a grunt and a moan, and somehow managed to convey _I don't know how I am, and I'm not sure I want to be._

"I hope you feel better than you look," Len said, not entirely sure if he was teasing or not.

Barry shifted ever so slightly, somehow managing to jostle both his leg and the tube. "Depends," he wheezed. "How bad do I look?"

"Like you were nearly beaten to death."

"Honestly, it looks worse than it is."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah. For starters…" Barry wiggled his toes beneath the blanket. "No paralysis this time."

"Oh, so he didn't manage to break your _back_."

"Nope. Just my collarbone. And maybe one or two other things."

"Such as?"

"Uh… fractured cheekbone. Fractured collarbone. Dislocated shoulder. Fractured wrist. Six broken ribs. Punctured lung. Stress fractures in my hip and femur. Shattered kneecap. Oh, and some minor internal bleeding."

"There's such a thing as _minor_ internal bleeding?"

"Point is, I'm gonna be fine, Len. No permanent damage."

"What the hell were you thinking, Scarlet?" He'd meant for it to come out angry. He needed Barry to know that what he'd done was stupid and reckless and absolutely not okay. Instead, the words came out shaky and soft, leaving behind the burning pressure of imminent tears. 

Anger finally caught up when the same mess of pain and fear that had snuck up on Len was reflected back at him in Barry's expression. Whether he was pissed at himself or Barry, he wasn't sure anymore. Len was just grateful to finally be feeling an emotion tonight that he knew how to handle.

"I was thinking it was our only chance." 

Yeah, he was definitely pissed at Barry. The stupid kid had been on a tear for months now, so intent on stopping Zoom and keeping everyone around him alive that he seemed perfectly content to martyr himself if it came to that. Len knew he'd been struggling, both as The Flash and as Barry Allen, but until tonight he never really believed Barry had a death wish. But it was very clear that even with his accelerated regeneration abilities, Barry was lucky to have survived.

"And if Zoom had managed to take you down with him?" Len hissed. Ah, there was Captain Cold. Better late than never.

Barry frowned, seemingly more confused than hurt. "At least the people I care about would be safe."

"The people you care about would be devastated. Because guess what, Flash? They care about you, too." Len didn't need to shout to get his point across any more than he needed a fancy toy to earn his title. He kept his tone even and low, cold fury coloring every word.

"Len…"

"Do you have any idea what you put those people out there through tonight?" Len waved a hand in the direction of the glass doors. "What you put _me_ through? I thought you were dead, Barry. When you hit the ground, I thought there was no way you were getting up again. And then you didn't." There was a tremor in his voice now, dangerously close to giving away something he wasn't sure he wanted Barry to know. He'd already said more than he should have.

"I couldn't let up, Len. Not when he was as pissed with you as he was with me. Zoom still saw me as some kind of prize. But you? He would have killed you without a second thought. And I couldn't let that happen." The last few words were more sob than speech, sending tears rolling down Barry's uninjured cheek.

Len was feeling light headed again. 

"You were going to let that maniac kill you… to protect me?" Absolutely none of that made any sense to Len. No one was dumb enough to sacrifice themselves for Captain Cold. Especially not The Flash. 

"That's what you do for the people you love. Protect them." 

Barry was looking up at him all teary-eyed and earnest, and Len was at a loss as to what the hell he was supposed to do with that. He let out a chuckle that sounded fake even to his own ears and gestured at Barry's IV pole. "I see your doctor friend has you on the good stuff."

"I'm not stoned you jackass." Barry's laugh was genuine. And apparently painful, given how quickly it became a groan. Len placed a steadying hand against the side of Barry's neck, felt the younger man's fingers curl around his wrist as Len scanned the various monitors Barry was hooked up to. Watched his heart rate spike and settle, and then spike again as he slid his hand farther up Len's arm, trying to pull him closer.

"What are you doing, kid?" Len asked, glancing warily at the med bay doors. Barry's only response was to keep tugging until Len was bent over him, hands braced on either side of the speedster's head. Barry tilted his face up expectantly, and Len obliged, brushing a soft kiss against his lips. "You do know your friends can probably see us don't you?" Len whispered, tracing the curve of Barry's jaw with his thumb.

"Right now, I don't care," Barry replied with as much of a smile as he could muster. "I'm just glad you're here. I didn't think you'd stay."

"Yeah, well, I guess all that time I spent playing hero on that ridiculous time ship made me a little soft. I might have to knock over a bank while you're laid up. Get back to my old self," he said teasingly. Barry pouted, and Len smirked, leaning down for another kiss.

"You say that like you're actually considering it, but we both know that me chasing you is half the fun," Barry said.

"Then you'd best get healed up before I get bored."

~ ~ ~

Only Lisa's incessant needling had gotten Len to go back to STAR Labs after Team Flash had run him out of there when they finally realized why he was in the med bay. He didn't envy Barry for whatever conversation had followed his departure. In fact, he felt a little bad leaving as quickly as he had. Especially since all his sister had to say on the subject was that she now owed Mick a hundred bucks.

It didn't really surprise Len that Mick knew. The burly firebug was a lot more observant than most people gave him credit for. He was, however, more than a little offended that his best friend and his sister were placing bets on his love life.

No, the only real surprise had been how happy Len had been to see Barry again. Before last night, Len would never have called whatever was going on between the two of them a relationship. The chemistry between them had been obvious right from the moment they met, and Len had enjoyed riling The Flash up every chance he got. Each time they went toe-to-toe as hero and villain, he'd push it just a little further until the kid finally started pushing back.

He thought their fun would come to an end after Len unmasked him. For a while, it did. But with Barry's secret out in the open, their confrontations took a turn, becoming almost like a game that no one else knew they were playing. Sex felt like the next logical step. The fact that it was great sex was the reason it kept happening. Len pointedly ignored the numerous indications that Barry considered it to be more than that.

But Len's time aboard the Waverider had put a lot of things into perspective. It gave him a new appreciation for his long time partner in crime and made him miss how much simpler their lives had been before metas and heroes and time travel were part of their reality. More than anything, it made him miss Lisa. Not seeing his baby sister for an entire year had been hard. And not seeing Barry for a year had been shockingly painful.

It seemed there was some truth to the whole _absences makes the heart grow fonder_ thing. Part of it was knowing he'd left Central City at the worst possible time. There had been a very real possibility that if he returned to his own time even a few days after he originally left, Barry could be dead. But the speedster was there waiting for him, asking him to help take down Zoom and fully expecting Len to say yes without hesitation.

A year ago, Len probably would have turned him down. At the very least, he would have made Barry work hard to convince him. But a year ago, Barry was nothing more than Len's nemesis-with-benefits, and he had no concept of what his life would be like without Barry in it. Having now lived that, Len was in no hurry to experience it again.

Len had no idea what the hell Barry had said to his friends, but he was able to gain access to the lab without any trouble. The cortex was deserted, and Barry was alone in the med bay. He was dozing when Len peeked in on him, still as battered and bruised as he'd been the previous night. But the chest tube was nowhere to be seen, so there had to have been some improvement in the last ten hours.

He lingered in the doorway for a long moment, debating if he should stay when Barry opened his eyes. "You're back," he murmured, sounding relieved.

"I told you I'd be back to check on you," Len replied, settling himself in the vacant chair at Barry's bedside. "And I must admit, I'm surprised they let me in."

"Like that's ever stopped you before," Barry smirked.

"True," Len shrugged. "But that's beside the point. How are you doing?"

"With this?" Barry gestured at himself with his good arm. "Or with us? Because the answer's the same either way."

"And what's that?"

"I'm so ready to get the hell out of here and go someplace where I don't have to keep explaining myself."

~ ~ ~

Sneaking Barry out of the lab was much easier than Len had expected it to be. He'd managed to get Barry settled into the backseat of Lisa's Camaro without incident when Ramon came running outside, the sudden lack of vital signs on Barry's monitor bringing him up from the basement.

The sight of Lisa's car threw Ramon off just long enough for Len to get behind the wheel, and their escape was complete.

Getting Barry into Len's third-floor walk-up was a significantly bigger challenge. By the time the pair made it inside the apartment, Barry was pale and shaking, and Len was beginning to think this had been a bad idea. At the very least, they should have gone to one of his many safe houses, but Len headed straight to the apartment out of habit.

"I'm okay, Len. Really," Barry insisted, breathing hard. "I just need to lie down."

"Couch or bed?" Len asked, trying his best to hold the speedster up without inflicting any more damage on his ribs.

Barry eyed the couch longingly for a moment, considering. "Bed," he said finally.

"Bed it is."

Len had just enough pillows to get Barry situated comfortably on the king sized bed Len had started to think of as theirs. He'd gotten this apartment a few years ago on a whim but rarely spent any time in it before he met Barry. It was a nice enough place, furnished and rent-controlled, and just far enough outside of his usual neighborhood to let him hide in plain sight when he needed a break from Lisa and Mick. And it was certainly the homiest place he had to call his own.

With Barry back living with Detective West, the apartment had become the only safe place they had to meet up. Len was starting to get the sense that Barry had been spending time here without him in the weeks before Rip abducted him. An escape from the pressures of both halves of his life. How much of that had to do with Len, he wasn't sure until now.

"Thanks for bringing me home." Barry's voice was quiet, pain and exhaustion pulling him away from consciousness. "This is exactly what I needed."

"I think what you needed was whatever was in that IV," Len replied, trying to ignore how fast his heart was beating. _Thanks for bringing me home_. "You want me to get you something?"

"None of that stuff actually works," Barry replied, closing his eyes. "Caitlin literally had to put me in a coma last time, and I felt like crap for days after I woke up. I think two comas is my limit."

Len knew Barry's insane metabolism had a tendency to cause problems, but the thought of never being able to numb pain - no matter how bad - was terrifying. Not for the first time, Len found himself marveling at how tough this kid was. No matter how hard life came at him, he rolled with it. He always found a way to keep moving forward, even when it was the last thing he wanted to do.

"Two comas is plenty," Len said. "You should probably stick with good old fashioned sleep this time."

"Yeah," Barry mumbled, clearly halfway there already. Without another word, Len slipped out of the bedroom, turning out the light and shutting the door softly behind him.

The plan had been to straighten up a little and go pick up a few groceries while he still had the use of Lisa's car. Much to Len's surprise, on closer inspection the entire apartment was spotless, and the fridge was fully stocked. This both proved Len's suspicions about the amount of time Barry had been spending here and left him with nothing to do for the rest of the day.

Len made a sandwich and booted up his laptop, and proceeded to spend the next several hours watching old westerns on Netflix. When late afternoon finally rolled around, Len got started on dinner. Keeping Barry properly fed was a challenge on a good day, so Len didn't bat an eye when Barry finished off an entire tray of lasagna and most of a loaf of garlic bread. Just existing took an enormous amount of energy. Healing would put a serious strain on his system.

Which was why Len was so surprised to find that Barry was still awake after he'd finished cleaning up and done the dishes.

"I guess I didn't really think this through," he said, tugging at the empty sleeve of his STAR Labs sweatshirt. With the brace still on, getting his arm through hadn't been possible. But the uncertainty in his voice told Len he wasn't talking about his clothes. "You didn't sign up for this."

"I didn't sign up for what?" Len asked, sitting on the edge of the mattress.

"This. Taking care of me," Barry replied, attention still fixed on the fabric clutched in his fingers. "We don't… I mean, it's not like we're…" he trailed off, slumping back against his pillows and turning his face away from Len.

"I realize our relationship isn't exactly conventional, but I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't want you here," said Len.

Barry stared up at him, eyes almost comically wide. "Did you just say ' _our relationship_ '?"

"Last I checked, that is the term applied to two consenting adults who find themselves… romantically entangled," Len offered, Barry's stunned reaction helping him to forget his own misgivings about what he was finally admitting.

"Remind me which one of us hit our head recently?" It was a weak attempt at humor on Barry's part, but Len recognized it for what it was - a final offer from the speedster for Len to take it all back before this conversation hit the point of no return.

"You don't get as far as I have in the kind of life I've led by being unobservant," Len replied. "And for as much time as you spend lying to everyone around you, you're terrible at it. I've known what this was for a while now. And I'm tired of pretending otherwise."

"Are you serious?" The wariness in Barry's voice felt like someone had slipped a knife between Len's ribs and twisted. He'd been intentionally standoffish for so long that the younger man clearly thought this was another one of Len's games. He wanted to be offended that Barry thought so little of him, but the truth was the kid had every right to be suspicious. Even the other Legends, who had seen the kinder parts of Len's nature peek through in recent months, would question his motives here.

But he hoped that by now Barry, who had always seen right through Len's bullshit, would know him better than that. Len could be cruel when he had to be, but he had nothing to gain from screwing with Barry like this.

"God help me, but yeah. I'm being completely serious."

"Len, I… This isn't, uh…" Barry trailed off uncertainly, and Len felt that invisible knife twist sharply. The kid looked scared, like Len had backed him into a corner and he'd only just realized that Captain Cold had the upper hand for a change. "This is not where I thought this conversation was going," Barry said finally, sounding a little more like himself again.

"Where would you have preferred it go?" Len asked, offering Barry the same out the speedster had offered him.

"This is definitely so much better than what I was expecting. I just, I didn't think we were there yet. Well, I didn't think you were there yet," Barry admitted. "You've been pretty firm about how far you were willing to take things between us."

"A lot of things have changed since the last time we were here," Len replied. "The year since has been… eye opening."

Barry frowned, brows knitting together in confusion. And then, "Right," he groaned. "Spaceship."

"Time ship," Len corrected, smirking. "Slight difference."

"Big difference," said Barry. "A week for me was a whole year for you. And a year is a very long time."

"Tell me about it."

"And even after being gone for that long, you still want… this?"

"If by ' _this_ ' you mean you, then yes. Absolutely."

Barry was quiet for a long moment, fidgeting with the cuff of his empty sleeve once again. "This isn't going to be easy," he said quietly, still avoiding Len's gaze. "You're still a criminal here, despite everything I know you've done to help people while you've been gone. Despite all the good you've done right here in Central City. I can't make that go away."

"I'm still a murderer. A rather remorseless one at that, if I'm being perfectly honest. But that has more to do with the victim than the act," Len said bitterly. His only regret about that night was that even in death he'd allowed his father to ruin his life once again.

"I'm sorry, Len."

"Don't be. I'm the one who pulled the trigger."

"I'm sorry you had to."

"He had it coming long before that night, Scarlet. And part of me is glad that it was me who had the honors. Despite the cost." Len sighed, reaching for Barry's good hand and lacing their fingers together in a rare display of tenderness. "I am sorry that what I did makes this such a goddamned mess. You deserve better than this."

"Hey, you did help The Flash stop Zoom once and for all," Barry pointed out. "At least a dozen people saw what happened last night. They saw you stop him and save me. That has to count for something."

"I somehow doubt one good deed will earn a guy like me a pardon, even for justifiable patricide."

"Stranger things have happened in this town," Barry said, giving Len a hopeful grin.

"Maybe so, but I'm not holding out for a miracle. I've seen a lot of crazy these past few years, but even after all of that I'm still a realist," Len replied. "More often than not, things don't turn out the way you want them to."

Giving Len's hand a squeeze, Barry said, "We'll figure it out. Together."

"There's not much to figure out, kid. Either I turn myself in, or I run until my luck dries up."

"You're not going to turn yourself in. I won't let you," Barry said firmly. "You'll stay here until we can come up with a Plan C. Because I'm not letting you leave me again. Not now."

"Well aren't you bossy," Len quipped.

"You love that about me."

"I do."

Seeing Barry light up at Len's response had Len grinning in spite of himself. This was sheer insanity on both of their parts, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Barry was everything Len was too afraid to admit he wanted for himself, and for reasons Len would never be able to wrap his head around, Barry wanted him just as badly as he wanted Barry.

They were, against all logic, good together. In fact, when given the chance they were great together. And Len wasn't ready to give that up. But he wasn't willing to let Barry compromise either of his jobs for Len's sake.

"What happens to The Flash when word gets out he's working with Captain Cold? You said yourself; there were witnesses to Zoom's demise. They watched us a kill a man together. That doesn't look great for either of us."

"Might have to ask Green Arrow for a little advice," Barry mused. "That guy has a seriously scary body count, but he's still running Team Arrow."

"Star City is a very different town," said Len. "It's almost as screwed up as Bludhaven these days. Hell, after the murder virus incident it's starting to make even Gotham seem downright idyllic."

"Fair point. Maybe we're both gonna have to disappear for a while," Barry chuckled.

"And what would the CCPD do without their star CSI?"

"Considering how often I've been late or ' _out sick_ ' since I got my speed? I'm sure they'd manage without me. And besides, I think after stopping two potentially city-destroying catastrophes, I deserve a little time off."

"At least until you can stand on your own again," Len agreed, tapping the brace on Barry's knee gently.

"I've got a few things planned for when I'm healed up, and none of them involve me leaving this apartment," Barry said, with what Len supposed was meant to be a seductive grin. His still-bruised face and oversized sweatshirt meant it came off more adorable than sexy, and Len found himself rolling his eyes.

"How about we put a pin in this conversation until you're no longer being held together by medical tape," Len suggested.

"Fine. I'm actually kinda tired, anyway," Barry admitted.

"Get some rest," said Len, releasing Barry's hand and easing himself up off of the mattress to avoid jostling him too much. "I'll be on the couch if you need anything."

"Wait, what? No! Get back here," Barry whined.

"You're a mess, kid. You don't want me crawling in beside you tonight."

"Yes, I do. And I'm only messed up on one side, which isn't your side, anyway."

Barry gave Len his very best kicked puppy expression, and Len scowled. "Really, Scarlet?"

"Come on, Len. I'm tired, and I'm sore, and I missed you. Please?"

"Fine," Len sighed. "You want a hand getting to the bathroom first?"

"Yeah, actually. Thanks."

Getting them both ready to turn in was a bit of a production, and by the time they were both under the covers with the lights out Barry was struggling to keep his eyes open. Len settled himself on his side, facing Barry and trying to keep enough distance between them to avoid accidentally bumping the injured speedster in his sleep.

Barry, however, was having none of it. "C'mere," he murmured, groping around under the comforter in search of Len's arm and letting out a grunt of pain when he reached too far. Len eased closer, narrowing the gap until they were almost touching.

"Better?" Len asked.

"Much," Barry replied, curling his fingers around the back of Len's neck and pulling him in for a kiss.

Len was happy to indulge him for a few minutes, carefully positioning his body so that he was almost but not quite on top of Barry's all-but-immobilized form. He'd been waiting to get Barry back in his bed for months and was very much looking forward to not having to be quite so gentle with him.

A sentiment Barry seemed to share. "This sucks," he groaned, pressing his forehead against Len's shoulder.

"Not my fault you ruined our reunion by landing yourself in traction, Scarlet," Len teased.

"Ugh," Barry groaned again, the sound muffled against Len's chest.

Reluctantly, Len pulled himself out of Barry's grasp and once again settled himself at the speedster's side, this time lying close enough to press a kiss against the younger man's shoulder.

"I wanna hold you, but I feel like that's probably a bad idea," Barry said softly.

"Tomorrow night," Len promised. With Barry's freaky healing, it was more than likely not an empty promise, either.

Barry's quiet _hmm_ of agreement was his only response, and a moment later he was asleep. Len's eyes had adjusted to the dark by now, the faint glow of the street lamp spilling around the edges of the bedroom curtains giving Len more than enough light to track the steady rise and fall of Barry's chest.

Things between them would never be easy. At least, not for the foreseeable future. Len's past had caught up with him in the worst way, and he knew he was going to have to answer for his mistakes if he was ever going to give Barry the life he deserved.

Because Len had been wrong about one very important thing; you can't steal something that was given to you. He may not have done anything to earn a gift like the one lying beside him in the dark, but for the first time in his life, he felt like he might be able to. Like the man Barry seemed to see when he looked at Len was more than just The Flash needing to see the best in everyone.

In a world of metahumans and time travel and masked vigilantes, something as ordinary as love might be the thing that finally put Len on the path to leaving his father's legacy behind once and for all.


End file.
